[Salone]

So how exactly do you build a ship that can, you know, maintain orbit and still have enough fuel for a return trip? Or, better yet, make them link up?

Wait wait, how the hell do you build a space station?

[Tohopekaliga]

In general, you start with the little ship that you want to make the whole trip. A one person capsule with a parachute and heat shield, for instance.

Then you add a decoupler and a small stage that would be enough to bump the thing out of orbit, so like a small size 1.25m tank and a Terrier engine.

Now another decoupler, and a bigger stage that'll do the orbital burn. Then another stage below that that's main job is to get everything else off the ground and up about 10km.

Orbit isn't about getting really high, it's about going sideways fast enough that when you fall back down, you miss the planet.

Space stations her built in pieces.

[Tohopekaliga]

So, here's some pictures.

My main space station, creatively titled "Orbital Assemblier." I've got a mod that lets me build ships in orbit and on other planets...assuming I have the materials for it, as well as a place to build. I build my interplanetary ships here.



I've got a base on Minmus, scandalously titled "Minmus Base"


In low orbit over Duna, I've got the somewhat ponderous ship "Expeditious" patiently waiting for the transfer window to return to Kerbin...


And on its way to Eve, there's this other ship that I haven't actually decided on a name for yet.


Most of the crew for things like the Expeditious, Orbital Assemblier, and the eve ship fly up on a moderately-overbuilt spaceplane, uniquely titled "Mako"

[Salone]

Mine is named 'Starpuncher', but I won't be linking any pictures because the only thing it punches is my home planet when it fails to properly leave atmosphere and careens in to the ground.

Maybe I should really just consider starting over and going back to the tutorials.

[Tohopekaliga]

Probably not a bad idea.

In addition to the in game tutorials, there are since excellent videos out there explaining how to do different things. Scott Manley is always a good choice for that.

[Salone]

But Toho, why should I sit through a video when I can always constantly bug you to hold my hand tthrough every issue I might have?!

Jokes aside though, I am making progress. I have unlocked basic aviation, and aviation is where I shine. My only issue now is making a properly balanced rocket capable of getting that plane in to high orbit. With my current setup, it likes to rotate and lose balance as the atmosphere thins out, most likely the control surfaces no longer applying, you know...control.

[Tohopekaliga]

When rockets flip over, it's typically due to drag.

Easiest way to fix it is to put fins on the bottom of your rocket. And less wings up high.

[Salone]

This helped. I was able to get to the moon. Unfortunately this was not my plan and I wrecked in to it going very very fast.

But! Where Kerbals die, others can dream to fly!

[Tohopekaliga]

Indeed! Kerbals live for the thrill! :D

[Salone]

Originally Posted by Tohopekaliga

Indeed! Kerbals live for the thrill! :D

Not for long they don't.

Tonight I might attempt to land an unmanned vehicle on the moon. Here's hoping a Stayputnik will work and I can actually transmit that far.

[Tohopekaliga]

There's no limit on how far transmissions work, unless you're using a mod that adds that in (RemoteTech).

Only trouble with Stayputnik is it flies like you don't have a pilot aboard...SAS doesn't work.

[Salone]

I...need SAS. I think that's the only reason my rockets survive launch.

Oh boy.

[Tohopekaliga]

Yeeeah. No SAS makes things VERY difficult.

The next level up of probe core has SAS, though.

[Salone]

Screw it. Another Kerbal can be sacrificed to the Mun. SAS is neeeeeeded!